Why Robert Fico's win in Slovakia is good news for Vladimir Putin during Ukraine war

Former Slovakia prime minister Robert Fico may become the leader of landlocked a former Soviet Republic nation once again. Fico is being described as a pro-Russia figure by western media amid ongoing war in Ukraine.

The election was expected to be a close race between Fico’s populist SMER party and the centrist Progressive Slovensko (PS). But with all votes counted, SMER-SSD led with 23 per cent, and PS trailed with 17 per cent.

Fico pulled off a political comeback after campaigning on pro-Russian lines and promised to withdraw support for ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Why Slovakia matters for Ukraine

Under the previous regime, Slovakia, a member of both NATO and the European Union, was among a number of European countries pushing for tough EU sanctions against Russia.

Slovakia was the first nation to supply air defences to Ukraine when the Russian President Vladimir Putin announced 'special military operations' against the country.

Slovakia had provided Ukraine with MiG-29 fighter jets, S-300 air defence systems as well as helicopters, and armoured vehicles. It also hosts a number of refugees from the war-torn country.

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However, Fico has promised that under him, the country will no longer extend support to Ukraine.

"Instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the EU and the US should use their influence to force Russia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal," he was quoted as saying.

Fico has blamed "Ukrainian Nazis and fascists" for pushing Russian President Vladimir Putin to launch an offensive against Ukraine, a charge Kyiv denies.

Fico previously served as Slovakia’s prime minister for more than a decade, first between 2006 and 2010 and then again from 2012 to 2018.

He was forced to resign in March 2018 after weeks of mass protests over the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová. The journalist had reported on corruption among the country’s elite, including people directly connected to Fico and his party.

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